regional news

Syracuse common councilors are considering raising fees on a number of popular parks programs, from swim lessons to skate rentals at ice rinks. For example, swim lessons will jump from $10 to $15 under the proposal. Deputy parks commissioner Julie LaFave told the council’s parks and recreation committee Thursday that it might be a 50 percent increase, but it’s still affordable.

“Those are definitely subsidized,” LaFave said. “I mean, you can’t say that swim lessons at $10, a dollar a class, is covering the cost of maintaining a pool, paying for employees.”

A group of Onondaga Community College students is preparing a play to memorialize the historic 100th anniversary of the tragedy known as The Disaster at Split Rock. It happened July 2, 1918 on the site of a former limestone quarry turned munitions factory during World War One not too far from the college. OCC Journalism Professor Laurel Saiz says overheated equipment is believed to have sparked a fire that ignited a dynamite storage facility.

The leader of the New York State Senate Democrats says she’s disappointed that her Republican colleague voted down a package of gun control measures that Democrats brought to the floor Wednesday. Andrea Stewart-Cousins says she was initially optimistic.

The Southwest Community Center in Syracuse has been spending time during Black History Month rehearsing an emotionally-heated play that premieres this Friday. It follows African Americans from the Civil War through today. Valerie Hill is the Director of Community Services at Syracuse Community Connections and the woman responsible for writing the play. She spoke about a pattern of unfortunate incidents that inspired her to write it.

Advocates who want the Child Victims Act passed in New York are stepping up the pressure on Republicans in the State Senate. Some GOP Senators are the final hold outs against a bill that would extend the statute of limitations and open up a one year window for past victims to file civil lawsuits.

The measure would allow someone to take court action up until the victim is the age of 50. The current age limit is 23.

A gap of $24 million in the Syracuse City School district budget might not sound good. But Chief Financial Officer Suzanne Slack says it’s actually smaller than past years.

"We usually have between a $30 and $40 million gap each year that we work to close through the budget process. When we came in under 30 we were a little bit excited about that. It's still a problem, but to know that it's going in the right direction was a bit of a surprise."

A case heard Monday in the U.S. Supreme Court and to be decided later on this year could have a big impact on public worker unions in New York.

The case, known as Janus v AFSCME, was brought by Mark Janus, a public employee in Illinois, who is challenging his state’s policy of requiring that he pay union dues to the Illinois branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, even though he does not want to be a member.

Janus and his lawyers say the mandatory payments violate his First Amendment right to not be compelled to fund political speech.

The police chief in DeWitt says numerous entities are ready to jump in to action if there’s a report of someone who might become a threat at a school or in the community at large. Meanwhile, the debate continues in Florida over what people knew about the shooter and what could have been done to stop him.

Syracuse Common Councilors jumped aboard a larger national movement that would levy a carbon fee on fossil fuels and return that money to households. The Carbon Fee and Dividend climate change resolution, sponsored by councilor Joe Driscoll, would add a $15 fee to every ton of fossil fuel. He said that figure is based on the environmental costs of CO2 emitted by the fuel.

SU alum and former NBA player Etan Thomas will give a talk at Syracuse University tonight about athletes' role as activists and their ability to speak out against societal issues like race relations, police brutality, and sexual assault.

In his recent book, “We Matter: Athletes and Activism,” Thomas describes recent and past activism in athletics and its perception by the public and the media, informed by both experience and over 50 interviews with notable athletes and figures. Thomas explains his support for activism by athletes and its history and future.